Thrills and Spills

Thrills and Spills

The triathlon (1.5km swim, 40km cycle, 10km run) was exciting as a spectator sport, especially as two Yorkshire brothers- Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee were meant to do well.

The temperature was low enough to make wet suits obligatory – this is a help to the weaker swimmers apparently.  The camera work – sometimes from a helicopter, was amazing and at times the Serpentine seemed aswarm with strange fish.  Elbows were akimbo as the swimmers rounded the buoys but all the swimmers made it safely to the transition area.

Here they had to shed their wet suits, don their cycling shoes and pick up their cycles.  Unfortunately we learned later in the race that Jonathan Brownlee had mounted his cycle a fraction before he should have done and had to pay a forfeit of 15 seconds during the final run.

Early in the cycle race there was a disaster when two or three cyclists ended up on the tarmac.  We never did hear the reason for it.  A similar thing had happened in the women’s triathlon but then the roads had been wet and greasy.

It was a pleasure watching the cycle and run laps as they passed again and again round the most beautiful parts of London and it was a great way to orient oneself.

The Brownlee brothers were strongly supported by Stuart Hayes - the third man who sacrifices his chances of a medal to support them.  After Jonathan had paid his penalty he was lucky to win the bronze but Alistair came up to expectations and easily gained gold.  The silver was won by the Spanish athlete Javier Gomez.

 So far my favourite pin –up in the Games is the sailor Ben Ainslie.  Think Jon Hamm of Mad Men in a wet suit

See photos below.